I'll be more detailed: The Three Stooges was a comedy act from back in the 1930s and 1940s. They used mostly physical comedy, like poking each other in the eyes and slapping each other around. They made over 100 short films that would be shown before feature films. There were actually six Stooges over the years, the ones Vits mentioned, plus Shemp, Joe, and Curly Joe, each one replacing Curly's spot, in that order.

As for the Marx Brothers, they were, as their name suggests, a brother team, usually made up of three brothers (Chico, Harpo, and Groucho), but sometimes as many as five (including Gummo and Zeppo). They were around about the same time as the Stooges. Unlike the Stooges, their brand of comedy wasn't always "physical," but more jokes using plays on words and sight gags.

Which comedy team was more "famous"? That's another debate in itself...

The Four Horsemen of the Moviepocalypse: uncalled for sequels/remakes/reboots, 3-D surcharges, untalented "celebrities", and anything with Michael Bay's name attached to it.

Whether the Stooges or The Marx Brothers are more "famous" (whatever that means) is certainly debatable, but which of the two comedy teams is still more respected isn't even a contest. Note Head Razz's tribute to the New Year's Eve television film festival on the site's main page.

I'll watch a Marx Brothers film any day or night of the week. If you want me to invest as much as 10 minutes of my life on even a Three Stooges short, you'll have to strap me into some sort of apparatus similar to what Alexander DeLarge was subjected to in A Clockwork Orange. And BTW Vits...a lot more people than just Burn and I think the Stooges are dated. Most people over 10 (or at least with an IQ over 10) share the opinion that the Stooges are annoying and not very funny.

Nine times out of ten, in art as in life, there is no truth to be discovered, only an error to be exposed.--H.L. Menken

I think Vits meant which comedy team is better known throughout the world today. But yeah, Groucho's plays on words and rapid-fire jokes make for a much more lasting impression on your funny bone than Moe Howard poking his brothers in the eyes everytime they pissed him off. Yeah, another fact I forgot to mention: Moe, Curly, and Shemp were all brothers, but were never a trio together in their short films...

Originally posted by saturnwatcher

Whether the Stooges or The Marx Brothers are more "famous" (whatever that means) is certainly debatable.

The Four Horsemen of the Moviepocalypse: uncalled for sequels/remakes/reboots, 3-D surcharges, untalented "celebrities", and anything with Michael Bay's name attached to it.

That's odd,because Laurel & Hardy became famous before the Stooges and the Marx Bros..

Originally posted by Vheid

I actually hadn't heard of them. But I had heard of the Marx brothers before.

Maybe they're just not that popular on this side of the Atlantic ocean. The most famous comedy team would in my opinion be Stan Laurel and Oliver Hardy.

Yeah,I prefer like Abbott & Costello. More talking than slapstick.

Originally posted by BurnHollywoodBurn

There have been many comedy duos and teams over
the decades, and I'm sure everyone has their favorite.

I don't want to fight with you either,so I'll nicely ask you to give me actual facts that say your statements are true.

Originally posted by saturnwatcher

And BTW Vits...a lot more people than just Burn and
I think the Stooges are dated. Most people over 10 (or at least with an
IQ over 10) share the opinion that the Stooges are annoying and not
very funny.

No, I meant which are considered "better." Does it really matter who are more famous?

Originally posted by BurnHollywoodBurn

I think Vits meant which comedy team is more well known throughout the world to this very day.

Okay...among the AFI's top 100 comedies of all time, The Marx Brothers' Duck Soup ranks a very impressive and well respected #5, A Night at the Opera checks in at #12, A Day at the Races slides in at #59 and Monkey Business made the list at #73.

How did the 3 Stooges' movies rate by comparison? Sorry...they don't! There isn't a single Stooges movie in the top 100. I seriously doubt that any of them would show up in the top 500. The Marx Brothers are, as I offerered, far more respected. QED.

Originally posted by Vits

I don't want to fight with you either,so I'll nicely ask you to give me actual facts that say your statements are true.

It might also point out that Groucho Marx remained a beloved entertainment icon right up to his death in 1977. His popularity lasted well beyond the Marx Brothers film career, whereas all of the Stooges fell more or less into obscurity once their film careers ended.

By one other reasonable measure, at least one Marx Brothers movie airs on TCM every month. A Stooges movie might make it on once a year. As I noted earlier, AMC does play Stooges shorts daily, early in the morning prior to the start of their day's film schedule. It is a time slot where typically only children would be likely to be watching. The ratings aren't very good.

The Quiblo online poll favors the Marx Brothers 54% to 46%.

Want more?

I'll offer one anyway...this question got asked on Cecil Adams Straight Dope page. Cecil is a brilliant mind who answers all sorts of questions posed to him, generally in a pretty amusing fashion. Among 40 responses that came in, with some other debate and commentary, the Marx Brothers whipped the Stooges 32-8.

IMHO, it is a bit like comparing the comedy of George Carlin to that of Jerry Lewis. Both might have audiences, but I'd much rather have dinner with people who laugh at George Carlin that people who laugh at Jerry Lewis.

Nine times out of ten, in art as in life, there is no truth to be discovered, only an error to be exposed.--H.L. Menken

Under the circumstances, I probably can't blame you. HOWEVER...it doesn't really address the central point; which comedy team has better withstood the test of time. I really suspect that if Duck Soup were on channel A, and The Three Stooges Go Around The World In A Daze was on channel B, Duck Soup would easily win the ratings battle. Admittedly the Stooges fame was made more in their shorts than their movies, which were almost universally dreadful. But I suspect that is another point that supports my case. The Stooges comedy just didn't play well in anything other than short exposures.

Originally posted by JoeBacon

I work at Social Security, answering an 800 number. Trust me, there are times when I come home so worn out from getting yelled at all day that I need to pop a Stooges DVD in my computer for therapy!

Nine times out of ten, in art as in life, there is no truth to be discovered, only an error to be exposed.--H.L. Menken

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